3. Experienced NFL head coach
Harbaugh's coaching journey took him back to Michigan, but it all started in the AFC West.
Following his NFL playing career, Harbaugh spent the 2002 and 2003 seasons as the Raiders' quarterbacks coach.
He then served as head coach at the University of San Diego (2004-2006) and head coach at Stanford (2007-2010) before moving to the NFL in 2011 as head coach of the 49ers.
Harbaugh compiled a 49-22-1 record (including the playoffs) with the 49ers and led San Francisco to the NFC Championship in each of his first three seasons. He was the first coach in NFL history to reach a conference championship game in his first three seasons as head coach.
Harbaugh was the 2011 NFL Coach of the Year after turning around a franchise that hadn't had a winning season or playoff appearance since 2002. The 49ers went 13-3 in his first season.
The highlight of Harbaugh's tenure with the 49ers was the 2012 season, when San Francisco reached Super Bowl XLVII.
San Francisco went 11-4-1 and won the NFC West title for the second straight year despite switching quarterbacks from starter Alex Smith to backup Colin Kaepernick midway through the season.
The 49ers went 12-4 in 2013 and won their third straight NFC title. Harbaugh had a playoff record of 5-3 with the 49ers.
Harbaugh played at Michigan before beginning a 15-year NFL career as a quarterback.
He was selected No. 26 overall by the Bears in the 1987 NFL Draft and spent seven seasons in Chicago. Harbaugh played in 89 games, including 65 starts for Chicago.
Harbaugh later moved to Indianapolis, where his playing career reached new heights.
His best season was 1995, when he set career highs in completion percentage (63.7 percent) and touchdown passes (17) and led the Colts to the AFC Championship.
The quarterback was selected to the Pro Bowl, won the Comeback Player of the Year award and also finished fourth in MVP voting. He was later inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor in 2005.
Harbaugh spent one year with the Ravens before spending the final two seasons of his career with the Chargers. He made 17 starts for the Bolts in 1999 and 2000.
5. An iconic football family
Football runs deep in the Harbaugh family.
Harbaugh's father, Jack, was a longtime college football coach with stints at Bowling Green, Iowa and Michigan, among others.
Jack Harbaugh also served as Western Michigan's head coach for five seasons before leading Western Kentucky's football program from 1989 to 2002.
The Hilltoppers would finish 91-68 under Jack Harbaugh, who led the school to its first and only NCAA Division I-AA (now known as FCS) championship. The program won two conference titles with four playoff appearances under the leadership of Jack Harbaugh.
Jack Harbaugh would follow his son Jim as an assistant at Stanford in 2023 and most recently at Michigan.
Harbaugh's brother John is currently in his 16th season as head coach of the Ravens. The brothers have competed against each other three times, including in Super Bowl XLVII.